This scale was developed during a study
of children’s and parents’ perceptions of parents’ involvement in children’s
homework (Bareno, 1997; Hoover-Dempsey, Reed, Jones, Walker, & Bareno,
1999). Items for the measure (and the companion measure
for parents, Thinking About Helping My Child with Homework) were derived
from analysis of data originally reported in Hoover-Dempsey, Bassler &
Burow (1995). The Thinking About My Homework measure assesses the child’s
perceptions of the child’s school and homework performance (Scale 1), the
parent’s ability to help with homework (Scale 2), and the parent’s structuring
and other activities related to the child’s homework (Scale 3).

Alpha reliabilities for the three scales as reported in Bareno (1997) with
a sample of 20 socioeconomically diverse public school fourth grade students
were the following: Scale 1: Child perceptions of child performance (school
and homework) = .84; Scale 2: Child perceptions of parent’s ability to help
with homework = .75; Scale 3: Child perceptions of parent’s structuring activities
related to homework = .80.

Preliminary questions

Participants were asked to respond to the following prompts offered verbally
by the interviewer:

1. Most children have some homework to do in fourth grade. We would
like you to answer some questions about your homework and people who help
you do your homework, if and when you need help.

2. Some children ask someone to help them with their homework. The
person they ask might be a parent, or a brother or sister, sometimes a friend,
sometimes a teacher, sometimes a different person.
Sometimes, one of these people just says, "I'll help you with your homework."

3. When you do homework, who helps you?
(Interviewer: list all persons named ___________________________________________________)

4. Who is the person who helps you the most with your homework?
(Interviewer: list person named ______________________________________________________)

5. Let's look at some of the questions now.

6. First, we're going to practice on a few items, just so you know what
kinds of answers you'll have to choose from when we get to the real questions.

7. The kinds of questions we want you to answer ask you to think about how
often you do something.
The answers you'll have to choose from will be

always
usually sometimes
never

8. Let's talk about these answers for a minute.
(Interviewer: record child’s responses)

Can you tell me what 'always' means?________________________

What's something that you always do?_______________________

Can you tell me what 'usually' means?________________________

What's something that you usually do?_______________________

Can you tell me what 'sometimes' means?_____________________

What's something that you sometimes do?____________________

Can you tell me what 'never' means?_________________________

What's something that you never do?________________________

(Interviewer: if you are satisfied that the student understands the meaning
of each response option, go on to the next page. If not, repeat or clarify
the terms above before going on. Do not continue until you are certain
that the student understands the response options.)

9. That's good! Now let's try some questions.

10. Here are some questions I'd like us to read together. After we
read them, you tell me what answer is the right one for you. Then we'll
put a circle around the one that's right for you.

11. Remember, there are no 'correct' answers for everyone to these questions;
the correct answer for you is the one that's the most correct or true for
you.

1.

I sleep at night.

always

usually

sometimes

never

2.

I brush my teeth in the morning.

always

usually

sometimes

never

3.

I go to the movies with my grandfather.

always

usually

sometimes

never

4.

I fly to Pago-Pago on an airplane.

always

usually

sometimes

never

12. Good! Now we’re going to look at the questions about homework.
Each one will have the same kind of answer choices

Scales

(Interviewer: Scales 2 and 3 below reference “mom” as the person who usually
helps the child with homework. Substitute the relationship of the person identified
by the child as the person who usually helps—e.g., dad, your uncle, your
grandmother, etc.).

Scale 1: Child perceptions of child performance (school
and homework)

1.

I do well in school.

2.

I try hard to do well in school.

3.

I try to do my homework correctly.

4.

When I have homework, I finish it all.

5.

I do good work on my homework assignments.

Scale 1: The parent and child
versions of Scale 1 contain identical items. We assumed that children
would have first-hand knowledge and assessment of their own performance, and
that parents would have similar knowledge based on their 'privileged position'
and observations.

Scale 2: Child
perceptions of parent ability to help with homework*

1.

My mom* knows how
to help me with my homework.

2.

My mom likes to help me with my homework.

3.

My mom tells me to get help from someone else if I
have questions about my homework. (reverse score)

4.

It's hard for my mom to help me with my
homework. (reverse score)

*Use form
with alternate name of “person who helps most often” as appropriate (e.g.,
dad, aunt, grandfather).

Scale 2: The parent and child
versions of Scale 2 contain somewhat different items. The items were
drawn from the same conceptual 'pool,' but differ somewhat based on the developmental
differences we assume pertain in parents' and children's ability to perceive
and assess parent ability.

I have to follow family rules about
doing my homework (like when I do it, or whether I can watch TV before it's
done, and things like that).

7.

My mom asks me about my homework.

8.

My mom does homework problems with
me.

9.

My mom tells me it's important
to do my homework.

10.

My mom helps me with math homework.

11.

My mom helps me when I don't understand
my homework.

12.

My mom tells me I've done a good
job on my homework.

13.

My mom gives me help with my homework
when I need help.

14.

My mom tells me if I haven't done
my homework right.

15.

My mom asks me if I've finished
my homework.

16.

My mom tells me to correct any
mistakes I make on my homework.

17.

My mom helps me with my reading
homework.

*Use form
with alternate name of “person who helps most often” as appropriate (e.g.,
dad, aunt, grandfather).

Scale 3: The parent and child
versions of Scale 3 contain identical items. We assumed that both children
and parents would have first-hand knowledge of parents' structuring and helping
activities related to homework.